Balanced fluid treatment apparatus



June 20, 1967 F. A. ETHRIDGE ETAL 3,325,872

BALANCED FLUID TREATMENT APPARATUS Filed July 19, 1965 mum 20/5 A/mmeyUnited States Patent 3,325,872 BALANCED FLUID TREATMENT APPARATUSFredrick Allen Ethridge and Jackie Neal Bulla, both of Charlotte, N.C.,assignors to Fiber Industries Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed July19, 1965, Ser. No. 472,992 6 Claims. (Cl. 28-1) This invention relatesto a balanced fluid treatment apparatus and more particularly to anapparatus utilizing a fluid for in'termingling filaments or groups offilaments of multifilament yarns especially mechanically crimped bulkedmultifilament yarns to produce a cohesive yarn product.

Yarn producers have long sought a method of avoiding twistingmultifilament yarns which is required for adequate handling in thecommon textile opeitations such as weaving, knitting, tufting canpetyarns and the like. In the production of mechanically crimped bulkedyarns especially for carpet manufacture, twisting the yarn provides thenecessary cohesiveness but reduces considerably the bulk which isdesired. Successful attempts have been made in avoiding twisting theyarns by passing these yarns through various fluid or air jet devices toprovide compact cohesive yarns as well as loopy bulked yarn producedfrom as spun or zero twist non-bulked multifilament yarn. The loopyyarns are not considered desirable in carpet production since the loopscause great difiiculty in processing through a carpet yarn tuftingmachine.

Although the apparatus of this invention can be utilized in compactingor loopy bulking of as-spun or zero twist yarn under certain conditions,the unique construction of this apparatus permits the intermingling ofcrimped filaments by means of a uniform balanced flow of fluid or air toprovide a cohesive bulked yarn which has suflicient cohesiveness to passthe yarn through a carpet tufting machine without twisting and at thesame time enhances the bulk of the yarn by deregistering the bundlecrimp so that the corresponding crimp of the individual filaments areout of phase with one another. The fluid treatment apparatus of 'thisinvention embodies a housing with an opening preferably an annularopening, and means to supply the fluid to the opening. Plenum and aninsert which fits into the opening is machined to close tolerances toprovide a uniform, self balancing flow of fluid or air onto the yarn tobe treated. The insert contains inlet and outlet ducts at itsextremities for the passage of yarn and a connecting means between theinlet and outlet ducts forming in the interior of the connecting means apassageway for the yarn. The exterior of the connecting means contains acircumferential groove which, when the insert is placed in the openingof the housing, forms a desired plenum. From circumferential groove ofthe insert, there is at least one pair of diametrally opposed fluidconduits which are perpendicular to the axis of the inlet and outletducts and of suflicient length to run from the circumferential groove tothe passageway in the connecting means. The plenum which is formed bythe circumferential groove in the connecting means in combination withthe housing provides a space wherein the pressure of the fluid isequalized and provides a uniform balance flow prior to the entrance ofthe fluid to the fluid conduits onto the yarn. Under these conditions, ahigher degree of entanglement of the filaments of the yarn is obtaineddue to the symmetrical nature of the fluid flow on the yarn.

The invention will be more easily understood by reference to thedrawings.

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the preferred fluid treatmentapparatus.

3 ,325,872 Patented June 20, 1967:

FIGURE 2 is a cross section along the lines A-A of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 shows a side elevation of the insert of the preferred fluidtreatment apparatus.

FIGURES l and 2 depict a preferred fluid treatment apparatus wherein thehousing 10 contains an inlet 11 for the fluid to enter the plenum 13 asshown in 'FIG- URE Z. The fluid moves within the plenum 13 until theplenum is filled and then moves through the diametrally opposed fluidconduits 16 and 17 to impinge the yarn running through passageway 18through the concavely conically tapered inlet duct 19 and out theconcavely conically tapered outlet duct 20'. The insert 12 is maintainedfirmly in the housing by means of flexible 0 rings 21 while theapparatus is in use. It should be noted, however, that means such asthreads could be incorporated in the housing and insert so that theinsert could be screwed into place.

FIGURE '3 depicts a side elevation of the insert 12 containingcircumferential groove 22, and ring receiving grooves 23 for placementof flexible 0 rings 21 as shown in FIGURE 2. The yarn passageway 18connects the eoncavely conically tapered inlet duct 19 andconcavelyconical tapered outlet duct 20. The purpose of the taperedinlet and outlet ducts is to prevent the yarn from snag ging on itspassage through the air jet. In the circumferential groove 22, thediametrally opposed fluid conduits (one shown) 16 are of suflicientlength to run fromthe surface of the circumferential groove 22 to theyarn passageway 16. The shape of the yarn passageway can be round,square, rectangular, pentagonal and the like depending on the needs. Itis generally preferred however, to use a round shaped yarn passageway.The dimensions of the yarn passageway and fluid conduits can be variedas needed by interchanging inserts of appropriate sizes when the yarnsizes are changed. The interchange of inserts provides for greatflexibility in dealing with varying sizes of yarn over those fluidtreating devices which consist of fixed dimensions without the insertcapability. A further advantage of the apparatus of this inventionrelates to the low manufacturing cost because of the ease of machiningthe insert to close tolerances while making the housing to widertolerances.

The shape of the opening in the housing and the corresponding outershape of the insert to be fitted into the opening is not necessarilycritical. These shapes can be annular, square, rectangular, pentagonaletc. It is preferred however, to utilize an annular shape in view of theease of manufacture of the housing opening and insert.

The term fluid as used herein relates to any inert material such asliquids or gases capable of separating filaments of yarn passing throughthe yarn passageway for purposes of intermingling the filaments. Fluidswhich can be used include water or other inert liquids but inert gaseousmaterial such as steam, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, air etc. can be used.The most preferred gas is air.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description is merelyillustrative and preferred embodiments of the invention of which manyvariations may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope ofthe following claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A balanced fluid treatment apparatus comprising, in combination, ahousing containing an opening and means in said housing to supply fluidto said opening; and an insert for said opening comprising inlet andoutlet ducts at the extremities of said insert, connecting means betweensaid inlet and outlet ducts in which the interior of said connectingmeans forms a passageway between said inlet and outlet ducts and theouter surface of said connecting means contains a circumferential grooveforming a plenum in combination with said housing, and at least one pairof diametrally opposed fluid conduits located in the circumferentialgroove of said connecting means, said conduits perpendicular to the axisof said passageway between said inlet and outlet ducts, said conducts ofsufficient length to run from the surface of said circumferential grooveto said passageway in said connecting means.

2. A balanced fluid treatment apparatus comprising, in combination, ahousing containing an annular opening and means in said housing tosupply fluid to said annular opening; and an insert for said annularopening comprising inlet and outlet ducts at the extremities of saidinsert, connecting means between said inlet and outlet ducts in whichthe interior of said connecting means forms a passage'between said inletand outlet ducts and the outer surface of said connecting means containsan annular groove forming a plenum in combination with said housing, andat least one pair of diametrally opposed fluid conduits located in theannular groove of said connecting means, said conduits perpendicular tothe axis of said passageway between said inlet and outlet ducts, saidconduits of sufficient length to run from the surface of said annulargroove to said passageway in said connecting means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a pair of diametrally opposed fluidconduits are located in the annular groove of said connecting means.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the inlet and outlet ducts areconcavely conically tapered toward the insert.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein flexible means are attached to saidconnecting means to maintain said insert firmly in position of saidhousing.

6. A self balancing air treatment apparatus comprising in combination anannular opening and a conduit in said housing to supply air to saidannular opening; and an insert for said annular opening comprising inletand outlet ducts at the extremities of said insert, said ducts beingconcavely conically toward the center of said insert, connecting meansbetween said inlet and outlet ducts in which the interior of saidconnecting means forms a passageway between said inlet and outlet ductsand the outer surface of said connecting means contains an annulargroove forming an air plenum in combination with said housing, a pair ofdiametrally opposed air conduits located in the annular groove of saidconnecting means, said conduits perpendicular to the axis of said outletducts and of suflicient length to run from the surface of said annulargroove to said passageway in said connecting means, a pair of ringreceiving grooves on said insert located on opposite sides of saidannular groove and flexible 0 rings on each of said ring receivinggrooves to maintain firmly said insert in said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,079,745 3/ 1963- Breen et al.5734 3,095,343 6/1963 Berger 28-1 3,110,151 11/1963 Bunting et a1. 28-13,220,082 11/ 1965 Fletcher et a1 28-1 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

L. K. RIMRODT, Assistant Examiner.

1. A BALANCED FLUID TREATMENT APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AHOUSING CONTAINING AN OPENING AND MEANS IN SAID HOUSING TO SUPPLY FLUIDTO SAID OPENING; AND AN INSERT FOR SAID OPENING COMPRISING INLET ANDOUTLET DUCTS AT THE EXTREMITIES OF SAID INSERT, CONNECTED MEANS BETWEENSAID INLET AND OUTLET DUCTS IN WHICH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONNECTINGMEANS FORMS A PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN SAID INLET AND OUTLET DUCTS AND THEOUTER SURFACE OF SAID CONNECTING MEANS CONTAINS A CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVEFORMING A PLENUM IN COMBINATION WITH SAID HOUSING, AND AT LEAST ONE PAIROF DIAMETRALLY OPPOSED FLUID CONDUITS LOCATED IN THE CIRCUMFERENTIALGROOVE OF SAID CONNECTING MEANS, SAID CONDUITS PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXISOF SAID PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN SAID INLET AND OUTLET DUCTS, SAID CONDUCTS OFSUFFICIENT LENGTH TO RUN FROM THE SURFACE OF SAID CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVETO SAID PASSAGEWAY IN SAID CONNECTING MEANS.